For years, residents have complained of the mishmash of decrepit storefronts and inconsistent design along Foothill Boulevard, which spans four jurisdictions, including Glendale.
But they have also been fiercely protective of the “small town” sense of community that pervades the foothill region, and have spent years crafting a set of guidelines that would keep redevelopment from encroaching on their preferred way of life.
At a recent Design Review Board hearing for a proposed three-story mixed-use office building within Glendale’s boundary, one foothill resident acknowledged the corridor might be seen as “pathetic” to some, but defended it as “a beautiful community.”
Sharon Raghavachary, a board member of the Crescenta Valley Community Assn. who has worked to bring the guidelines to fruition from the beginning, said the guidelines would play a “huge” role in bringing the business corridor out of its stale environment, and yet retain the charm that many residents hold so dear.
She pointed to the success La Cañada Flintridge has enjoyed in developing its portion of Foothill Boulevard to be compatible with its heritage and surroundings, and yet attract a vibrant business community.
“They had a plan; now we have a plan,” Raghavachary said.
The new guidelines would apply to new buildings and alterations to existing structures and affect the unincorporated county portion of Foothill Boulevard between Pennsylvania Avenue and Pickens Canyon.
Architecture would have to conform to either Victorian, Craftsman, Mission, Prairie, Spanish or Foothill Eclectic style if the ordinance is adopted Tuesday.
